Rug Size Calculator: The Right Area Rug for a Room

Enter the size of the room or the area to cover, and the width of bare floor you want to leave all round. You get the ideal rug size, the largest standard size that fits, and the bare floor that is left.

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Results

Example job shown. Change the numbers to match yours.

Ideal rug, long sideThe room less the border on both sides: 11.0 ft
Ideal rug, short side: 9.0 ft

Largest standard rug that fits, long side

10 ft

An 8 × 10 ft rug

Largest standard rug that fits, short side: 8 ft
Bare floor at each endAlong the long side of the room: 2.0 ft
Bare floor at each sideAlong the short side of the room: 2.0 ft

The ideal size is the room less the border of bare floor on each side, and the calculator then finds the biggest standard size that fits inside it (5 × 8, 6 × 9, 8 × 10, 9 × 12, 10 × 14 and 12 × 15 ft). Designers advise 12 to 24 inches of bare floor round the rug, and in a seating area the rug should be big enough for at least the front legs of the sofa and the chairs. A rug that is too small looks lost, so it is better to go up a size if the room can take it. Measure the area the furniture will stand on, not only the room, if the rug sits in part of an open plan space.

Before you buy: round up to whole packs, check the size printed on the label, and add a little spare. Your supplier has the final say.

How this calculator works

Worked example: a room 14 × 12 ft with 18 in of bare floor on each side leaves an ideal rug of 11 × 9 ft. The largest standard size inside that is 8 × 10 ft, which leaves 2.0 ft of bare floor at each end and 2.0 ft at each side. With a border of 12 in the ideal is 12 × 10 ft and the rug 9 × 12 ft, and with 24 in it is 8 × 10 ft. A room of 10 × 10 ft takes a 0 × 0 ft rug, and one of 18 × 20 ft a 12 × 15 ft rug.

Largest standard rug for common rooms, with 18 in of bare floor round it

The rug that fits each room size.

Room	Ideal rug	Largest standard rug
10 × 10 ft	7.0 × 7.0 ft	None fits
10 × 12 ft	7.0 × 9.0 ft	6 × 9 ft
12 × 12 ft	9.0 × 9.0 ft	6 × 9 ft
12 × 14 ft	9.0 × 11.0 ft	8 × 10 ft
14 × 16 ft	11.0 × 13.0 ft	9 × 12 ft
15 × 20 ft	12.0 × 17.0 ft	12 × 15 ft
18 × 20 ft	15.0 × 17.0 ft	12 × 15 ft

Tips before you buy

Mark the rug on the floor with painter's tape before you buy, and live with it for a day.
In a living room, put at least the front legs of the sofa and the chairs on the rug.
If you are between two sizes, the larger usually looks better than the smaller.
Leave an even border of bare floor all round, so the rug looks placed and not cramped.
Use a rug pad, which stops the rug sliding and protects the floor.

Tools & materials for this project

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Rug pad Area rug 8×10 Area rug 5×8 Painter's tape Rug gripper tape

Frequently asked questions

What size rug do I need for my room?

Take the room less 12 to 24 inches of bare floor on each side. For a room of 14 × 12 ft with 18 in of border, that is 11 × 9 ft, so an 8 × 10 ft rug.

How much floor should show round a rug?

About 12 to 24 inches. Eighteen inches is the usual figure for a living room.

Is an 8×10 rug big enough for a living room?

For most living rooms of about 11 × 14 ft up to 14 × 18 ft, yes. A bigger room or a sectional may need 9 × 12 ft.

Should the sofa legs be on the rug?

At least the front legs of the sofa and the chairs should be on it, so the seating area looks tied together.

What are the standard rug sizes?

5 × 8, 6 × 9, 8 × 10, 9 × 12, 10 × 14 and 12 × 15 ft are the usual sizes, and round, runner and custom sizes also exist.

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Estimates only. Results assume standard materials and simple shapes. Supplier products vary, and the final call on quantity, structure and safety is yours. Check your local code and your supplier's guidance before ordering.

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